I apologise for mixing imperial cake tin sizes with metric measurements – but that’s just how we do things here!

Method for cakes

1. Prepare tin/tins that you are going to use – line with baking parchment 2. Pre-heat oven to 160ºC Fan/170ºC Standard3. Soften the butter (you can microwave for a very short time if butter really hard) 4. Beat the butter on its own for a while in your mixer – I used my Kitchen Aid which was ideal, but any mixer will be fine 5. Add the sugar and beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy 6. Add the vanilla or whatever flavouring you are using, and colour if you are using any 7. Add the eggs one at a time each with a tablespoon of flour to stop the mixture curdling, beat gently to mix in 8. Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth 9. Add a little milk or water if the mixture is very stiff 10. Pour mixture into tin, pat tin down on worktop to remove any air bubbles and smooth top with a palette knife. 11. Bake in middle of pre-heated oven for desired time. When time is up, push a knife into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is ready. 12. Remove from oven and leave in tin to cool for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely

Method for buttercream

1. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl 2. In your mixer or food processor, cream the butter until smooth 3. Gradually add the sieved icing sugar – warning this gets a little messy! 4. Add flavouring and a some water to make the consistency that you require

NOTES

Oven temperatures vary for different ovens so please be aware that the baking times may vary slightly The litre sizes I have given relate to the volume that I measured when deciding what size cake I wanted see – description of method here You don’t need a food mixer or processor to make these cakes – they can be made by hand and a strong arm! When adding liquids, always add less than you think you should – you can always add more but it doesn’t work in reverse!

Constructing one of the cakes

Once cooled you will need to cut the top off of the cake in order to get an even sized tier. You can do this with a large knife or ideally a cake wire. Once you have an even cake you can place the cake board onto the cake foil side down then turn the cake and board over. You will then have a completely flat surface as the top of your cake.

Cut the top off

You can cut the cake into three pieces using a cake wire or a knife (for a more rustic look), once you have cut three even pieces, add a cocktail stick to each piece in a vertical line.

These will help you put the cake back together in exactly the same place (this is not completely necessary, it just gives a more even finish).

Coat the bottom layer with buttercream then line the cocktail sticks up and carefully lay the second piece on top of the buttercream. Do the same again and add the top piece. You are now ready to dowel the cake if you are adding tiers, or just decorate this cake and enjoy!

I’d love to hear if you tried this recipe and how you got on building your Naked cake…

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4 thoughts on “My Naked Wedding Cake recipe”

Hi, I am going to attempt to make this cake for my sons wedding, it looks great. Is the oven temperature for a fan or conventional oven? Also can you tell me how you managed to cut and serve pieces of cake that were three layers thick? If my cake turns out as good as yours I will be very happy.

Hi Mary. Thanks very much for your comments The oven temp 160ºC is for fan oven (it says this in the table somewhere!).The cake was actually cut by the hotel staff. They just took one or two layers and sliced them up and piled it onto a serving plate – by the time people get to the cake at a wedding they’re not that bothered how it is served! With regards to the freezing – I haven’t tried it. If you have time before the event maybe you could do a trial. I did loads of trial runs with mine. I recommend it and your friends and family and colleagues will love you for it! Probably best not to freeze the buttercream though. Regards, Ann

Hi thanks for the recipe I am going to attempt cake for my daughters wedding and yours was the only one I could find with 12 ” bottom tier will do a test run and hopefully will turn out as good as yours thanks again Ann

Thanks Ann. I hope you get on ok. I’d love to know how it goes – use my contact form and let me know your email address. For any advice (although it was a long time ago now!) and to let me see pics of your daughters cake!!